Top 10 Tips For The Perfect Wedding Day
Shilstone’s top 10 tips for the perfect wedding day.
1. Enjoy and savour every moment.
This might seem so simple and straightforward that it's almost too obvious to put in a list. However, you would be surprised how many couples planning a wedding get so caught up in making the big day absolutely perfect that they forget to enjoy and savour every moment. The day is all about you as a couple. It's a celebration. It is all about the happiness that you bring to each other. The wedding day and planning should be happy and memorable at every stage. You will want to look back on the year you got married and not only remember the day as the happiest of your lives, but also to mention - 'Do you remember that feeling we found the perfect venue? and so on...
2. Focus on setting the date and venue first.
Venues are the aspect on most couple's wedding list that comes first (we put it second only to the above!). All aspects of your wedding revolve around the date, and naturally, the best venues get booked up in advance, especially if the venue only operates a certain number of exclusive dates for weddings throughout the year.
Your wedding venue ultimately dictates the standard of service that you will receive throughout your big day, and the memories that you and your guests will have with them forever.
Focus on a time of year that you would like to be married, find your dream wedding venue and secure an available date with them first.
You will then be able to invite friends and family to a destination with a date to save in their diary and it will allow you to find other suppliers such as photographers and cars that will be able to provide for you and work towards all other elements of your special day.
3. Book your photographer early
Photographers get booked up in advance almost as far ahead as venues do, and to secure a good photographer, we recommend looking to book one as soon as your venue date is secure. Booking the right photographer is one of those critical aspects of a wedding; a good photographer can help you with many other plans for your big day, especially looking at the fine detail of the timings throughout the day. Remember; cake is consumed and flowers fade but photographs last forever.
4. Ask your Groomsmen and Bridesmaids for help and delegate the small things.
Ultimately, you will want the important decisions to be made by just you as a couple, but that doesn't mean that you can't have some help in arriving at those decisions. It will make the process far easier and when it all comes together on the big day, the closest of your friends and family will know exactly what to expect and will be far more ready to help in case anything unexpected occurs!
Your Bridesmaids and Groomsmen are picked by you because they are your best friends, or possibly your closest family. They are likely to know you extremely well, and by giving each of them a task and a deadline will help you incredibly. Simple tasks such as 'Please help me find a shortlist of 5 photographers online that you think have a good wedding portfolio', allows you to still make the decisions, but the search time can be reduced.
5. Choose suppliers that you connect personally with.
It's all about the people. This is true of most aspects in life. Often the old adage of 'you get what you pay for' can be true; but not always! Obviously the element of price will need to be factored into your decision making, but allow yourself to be a little flexible with all your costs when initially searching for the aspects of your wedding that are most important to you. We believe choosing your suppliers is all about the quality of people you are dealing with, and you'll see this in point 6 below. Some couples may choose their band/photographer/florist/caterers/venue based on price (ie either they go for the cheapest they can find because they want to save money, or the most expensive they can find because they ‘must be the best’), but we personally believe it’s all about finding people that you connect with and trust.
Running a wedding involves a lot of team work, often with people who have probably never met or worked together before - i.e. your venue may not have met your band, and your florist may have never worked with your photographer before. That special wedding magic comes from atmosphere, and the most magical weddings are the events where your suppliers are working as a team, and helping each other do the best job they can. This is why finding the right people is so important… So, when calling or meeting suppliers, look out for a smiling face or a friendly glint in someone’s eye, rather than the price tag. If you find that you really connect with the right supplier then it's likely they will bend over backwards to try and meet your budget requirements.
6. This is your big day, do it your way.
Ensure that you have a wedding that reflects you as a couple. Don't be trapped by living up to other people's beliefs and opinions. This is your big day and you shouldn't be told by family, friends, and particularly your venue, your suppliers or anyone else that you 'must' or 'must-not' do something that doesn't sit comfortably with you as a couple.
Furthermore, if you are told you can't do exactly what you want - why not?!
This is your big day, and unless there are serious health & safety or legal concerns regarding any ideas you have; just go for it!
Never be afraid to ask for something unique.
Don't build your wedding in a way that you think will be 'expected of you' or focus on the stereotype.
Plan the wedding of your dreams.
Plan the celebration of your dreams.
Plan the party of your dreams.
This is YOUR big day. Have it YOUR way!
7. Delegate a trouble-shooter with good people skills
On the day, ensure that you have a trouble-shooter who is able to deal with any unexpected hitches that might occur. Typically this might be a Best Man or Bridesmaid, however, ensure that you gather help from someone who is most organised and has excellent people skills. This will save you as a couple worrying about all the little aspects of a wedding; does everyone have a full glass? Where are the changing facilities for infants?, where is the mother of the Bride when the photographer calls for the family photos.
At the beginning of the day, introduce this person to all members of the family that are needed for the 'traditional' family photos; and ask this person to work closely with the photographer to gather people at the necessary times.
This person will be invaluable, particularly if you have large guest numbers and a venue with numerous rooms and areas where people can wander off, forgetting they might need to be in the picture!
8. When getting ready and dressed on the big day, remember to eat and keep your body fuelled.
Nerves and even a little anxiety are natural for both the Bride and Groom on the big day. These feelings will burn more calories and without keeping energy levels topped up from the beginning of the day can leave even the most hardy a little light-headed by midday, and that's even before the alcohol starts to flow!
Every Bride and Groom will want to look their very best on the big day, but starving yourself on the morning of your wedding and skipping breakfast will not help make you look any thinner, nor will it help your emotions or complexion!
9. Ensure that your key suppliers are able to cope with whatever the weather brings.
The venue, the photographer, the wedding car providers; ensure you check with them how they are equipped to deal with the worst that the English weather can throw at them. We all hope for sunshine on a wedding day, but inevitably for some, the heavens will open, and by knowing your key suppliers are ready for this will ease any worries and help the day go without a problem.
10. Have FUN on the big day and live in the moment
It almost seems too obvious to be included on a list at all, and having fun is very similar to point one; enjoying and savouring every moment.
Remember, above everything else, to have fun. Do not stress.
Whatever happens, enjoy it. Your big day lasts only a few hours, do not let a single moment become wasted in worry.
Unexpected events will happen, the time plan of your day will invariably change. Think about the moment you are in, not the moments that have passed - leave that to the wedding album. Don't think about the moments yet to come; it'll happen soon enough and you'll want to enjoy that moment fully when it comes
By Shilstone Weddings & Events
